PAWAN KUMAR JHA Vs. BIRSA AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD Mr. P.P.N. Roy, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. A.K. Sahani, learned counsel for the respondents.

(2.) IN this writ application the petitioners seek issuance of an appropriate direction upon the respondents to take admission of petitioner Nos. 1 and 2 in Ph.D. Course of Horticulture and Agronomy respectively and to take admission of petitioner Nos. 3 and 4 in Ph.D Course of Plant Breeding and Genetics for the Sessions 1999 -2000 along with all admissible salary, allowances, increments during the period of study leave at Birsa Agriculture University, Kanke.

(3.) IN the counter -affidavit filed by the respondents it is stated, inter alia, that the petitioners are working as Senior Technical Assistants under different ICAR Projects/ Schemes. The facility for nomination under Faculty Development Programme with salary support under existing Regulations is for faculty members (Teacher/Scientists) above Assistant Professors/Junior Scientists. Since Technical Assistants are not faculty members, they are not entitled for nomination under Faculty Development Programme with salary support for doing Ph.D. It is contended that the Faculty Development Committee in its meeting decided that under existing Regulations of the University Senior Technical Assistants do not come under Faculty Development Programme since they are not faculty members. It is further contended that since the petitioners are working under ICAR Scheme and in the light of the objection raised by ICAR, they cannot be relieved for study leave with salary benefits under Faculty Development Programme.